Interdisciplinary Major

Environmental and Risk Management

The major in Environmental and Risk Management is concerned with public and private sector issues in designing and implementing effective strategies related to the impacts of business activities on the environment and related areas in health and safety. There has been a growing concern with such impacts because of their inherent importance for responsible management. This is due primarily to the increasing cost of laws and regulations governing those business activities which may pose risks to the environment, to the health and safety of workers, and/or to surrounding communities.

This major is designed to provide in-depth foundations for those interested in pursuing careers in the growing environmental sector of the economy, whether in private business, in environmental consulting, or in government. Non-majors interested in an overview of business and policy in the environmental area should also find selected courses from this major of interest.

The program provides an interdisciplinary approach, building on faculty and courses from departments such as Accounting, Health Care Management, Legal Studies, Management, Marketing, Operations, Information and Decisions, and Business Economics and Public Policy. Additional coursework on environmental and technological risks can be pursued in parallel with the Wharton program through studies in the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

c) In addition to electives that students may take in Environmental Studies in the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science, students are encouraged to take one or more of the following courses depending on their specific interests and majors:

HCMG 844 The Economics of Health Care and Policy
MKTG 756 Marketing Research
OIDD 654 Product Design and Development

The Director of the Environmental Management Program coordinates the program. The program also offers a seminar series co-sponsored with the Institute for Environmental Studies and the Risk Management and Decision Processes Center. The on-going design and monitoring of the program is supported by an interdisciplinary group of faculty with teaching and research interests in environmental and risk management.